A Georgia state representative is facing federal charges after prosecutors say she collected nearly $18,000 in pandemic unemployment money while campaigning for office and later serving in the legislature.
Sharon Henderson, a Democrat representing District 113, was arrested Monday and is set to appear in federal court, where she is expected to plead not guilty.
Prosecutors say the alleged scheme traces back to June 2020, when Henderson was running for a seat in the state legislature.
Congress had authorized emergency unemployment programs to help workers who genuinely lost jobs because of COVID-19 shutdowns.
Applications required workers to certify employment history and confirm they were unemployed due to pandemic restrictions. Officials say Henderson submitted claims that did not match her work record.
According to the indictment, Henderson claimed she had been employed by Henry County Schools throughout 2019 and into March 2020.
In reality, investigators say she had only served five days as a substitute teacher in 2018, nearly two years earlier.
Her employment agreement reportedly stated that substitutes were not eligible for unemployment benefits. Prosecutors allege she later filed weekly certifications saying she could not work because of COVID-19 quarantine issues.
Eight of those certifications, investigators say, were filed after she had already been sworn in and was serving as a sitting state representative.
Prosecutors allege Henderson collected $17,811 through the pandemic benefit programs as a result of those filings.
Federal officials condemned the allegations in unusually direct language.
“It is shocking that a public official would allegedly lie to profit from an emergency program designed to help suffering community members,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said in a press release, adding that politicians who “steal from the needy to enrich themselves will be held accountable.”
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown said Henderson “allegedly chose greed over compassion by fraudulently obtaining funds meant to help those in need.”
Georgia State Inspector General Nigel Lange added, “Nobody is above the law, especially Georgia’s elected officials. This indictment should send a clear message that theft of government funds intended for qualified citizens will not be tolerated.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Georgia Office of the State Inspector General and the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford is handling the prosecution. Henderson is presumed innocent and must be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
Fox 5 Atlanta reports that Henderson has represented District 113 since 2021, covering part of Covington and western Newton County.
Before entering public office, she worked in banking, ministry and public education, including as a special-needs paraprofessional.
At the Capitol, she has backed health initiatives such as cancer screenings, child nutrition programs and efforts to expand access to medical tests.
It remains unclear whether anyone else assisted in the unemployment filings, how long the investigation was underway before the arrest or whether additional charges may be pursued.
Officials have not released information about the evidence used to verify her employment records or whether House leaders plan disciplinary action during the case. Her attorney has not issued public comment.
The case arrives as federal authorities continue examining widespread fraud involving pandemic relief programs.
Prosecutors say the enforcement effort has become a priority as billions in emergency assistance were distributed rapidly during COVID-19, creating opportunities for abuse.
The Department of Justice encourages the public to report suspected fraud through its disaster hotline or online portal.
